Alleviative effects of phosphates on quality deterioration of frozen dough during freeze-thaw cycles: A focus on gluten aggregation and dough fermentation.

This study investigated the effects of phosphates on the quality of frozen steamed bread, focusing on rheological properties, water status, fermentation characteristics, and protein aggregation properties. The findings revealed that phosphates significantly improved the quality of frozen steamed bread. After 3 freeze-thaw (F/T), the specific volumes of 0.6 % sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) and 0.4 % sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) samples increased by 17.65 % and 20.32 %, respectively, compared to the control. Hardness decreased by 38.12 % and 24.55 %, respectively, while internal porosity of the 0.6 % STPP and SHMP samples improved by 32.37 % and 21.76 %, respectively. Furthermore, phosphates enhanced dough elasticity and viscosity, effectively inhibiting water migration and reducing freezable water content. Yeast gas production also increased after F/T, as phosphates improved yeast tolerance by moderately slowing yeast growth. Notably, phosphates mitigated glutenin macropolymer (GMP) depolymerization by inhibiting yeast to reduce reductant production during F/T cycles. Phosphates also contributed to a more stable protein secondary structure. In conclusion, phosphates played a crucial role in alleviating the quality deterioration of frozen dough by influencing protein aggregation, thereby offering novel insights into their benefits for dough-based products.